Judge will allow force-feeding of Gitmo prisoner

WASHINGTON (AP) — A judge will allow the force-feeding of a prisoner on hunger strike at the Guantanamo Bay naval base.

U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler has lifted a temporary restraining order that had stopped the military from force-feeding Abu Wa'el Dhiab (AH'-boo wah-EHL' DEE'-ab). Kessler says the military must be allowed to carry out force-feeding of because he might die otherwise. She ruled late Thursday night.

Lawyers for the prisoner are challenging the force-feeding as abusive.

Kessler says Dhiab is willing to be fed at a hospital at Guantanamo Bay if he can be spared what she calls the agony of having feeding tubes inserted and removed for each feeding. The judge says the Defense Department refused to make any compromise from current procedure.